Billy's Chowder House

Recently visited Maine for my wife's grandfather's 90th birthday. This was my second time visiting and I never enjoyed lobster during my first visit. So right off the plane I started searching online for a good whole lobster restaurant and found Billy's Chowder House in Wells. I think I hit the jackpot! The service was great and it was a nice, clean place. Reasonable prices too. The food was outstanding! I got a whole baked, stuffed lobster, along with a bowl of chowder. Unbelievably delicious. I'm 59 years old and this was my first whole lobster ever. The overall experience was fantastic. We couldn't be happier with our choice to come here and highly recommend Billy's for anyone looking for a great dining experience.

We went here when we were on vacation in Wells. Their chowders are delicious. They have won many awards for their chowders. Their food is excellent and the fish is very fresh and everything is cooked to order. We ate there twice that's how much we enjoyed their food, service and atmosphere. I would suggest going after 7:00 p.m. to eliminate a long wait. Extremely busy during the summer months. Going in late September, October is not as busy and you don't have to deal with the crowds or wait times. Highly recommend if you are in this area. You won't be disappointed!!

Beautiful with a calming atmosphere. The food was amazing!! The clam chowder was excellent, the swordfish with citrus pesto was tasty and the drinks were perfect. We enjoyed the views as we ate our dinner. I highly recommend Billy's Chowder House.

Excellent find!!! Our usual stop was closed, so we tried here. What a gorgeous view of the marshes along with attentive staff- Thankyou to Samantha! The award-winning and tasty chowder was a classic style with butter and cream. The fried fish and chips came with 6 lightly battered, 1" square by @ 4 to 6 inches long sticks of haddock and a pile of perfectly crispy fries. My husband and I split those for lunch and each had a cup of either the clam or haddock chowder. We'll be back!

Had a gift card to use so we thought to try it out! Since I hadn't been before I had to try the clam chowder and fish and chips as my litmus test. Having tried dozens of chowders in my life I'll admit to being a self proclaimed snob about it. This chowder is a 2/5 ~at best~. I found the flavor to be superficial, and the texture more of a watered broth than creamy chowder. The clam was minced and little of it, but the potatoes were well done and bite sized. The fish and chips was much better! 4/5 with a light breading and dense but moist filet. The fries were mostly done to taste (I asked for extra crispy) and my wife's broiled seafood sampler was also very good. Overall value was lacking. Similar restaurants in york/Kittery I feel offer equally good food at more reasonable prices. Fried calamari alone is $18 and most entries are $20+. For two people with a soup salad and entry was $75 inc tax. I doubt I'll return.

The seafood stew was so creamy, tender and delicious. The best lobster roll I ate while visiting Maine was here!! We ate here twice on vacation and the service was great both times. The stuffed lobster was a little dry but we were there at the end of the day. We enjoyed our experience both times we ate here.

What a gem for a couple of tourists seeking chowder! Walked right in, seated in minutes, and served promptly. We enjoyed clam chowder, a lobster stuffed baked potato, and lobster cakes. Completing the meal with a fabulous Blueberry Shortbread sundae!

The food was overall excellent. Starting with the calamari nicely cooked served with a not overly acidic marinara. The clam chowder was what I came for and didn't disappoint. It was full of clams and vegetables, but I noticed several other soups that sounded amazing so I tried another. The lobster stew was even better. It was filled with tons of lobster and just full of flavor. The lobster roll was good cold style with mayo. The staff were friendly and accommodating.I would definitely go back.

Had my first lobster roll here, didn't know it was a cold sandwich. I did enjoy it. Im a real tough sell on clam chowder, theirs was thin (I'm a thick n creamy fan), However the chowder was superbly seasoned, the potatoes cooked to perfection, lots of clams. Im a fan! Service was very good.

I'm still in a state of disbelief after our nightmare of a Birthday dinner last night. As you all know I always post about how delicious their chowder is and every time we are here in Maine we have to stop! Well, it was Jesse's Birthday last night and we of course decided to go there... long story short, my baked stuffed shrimp came out CHARRED and it tasted so burnt and the shrimp were so dry and uneatable. I had no choice but to inform the waiter and he offered to make another so I accepted. In the mean time Jesse got to eat his birthday meal alone as I watched because my new plate didn't arrive til he was done. On my first attempt to cut into the shrimp on the second plate, the damn casserole dish shattered and it couldn't be eaten!!! First off the charred meal SHOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT THE KITCHEN! After all that, they comped my draft hard cider that I drank half of and a draft beer and of course removed the meal I never got to eat. In my opinion they should have comped the entire bill for all of the stress that brought us. Instead I paid them fifty some odd dollars for my husband's meal and 2 cups of chowder! Won't be going back!

We were on a trip from Boston to Wells for my wife's marathon and since my in-laws love seafood, we stopped at this really famous place to enjoy some seafood. Here is a review of my experience here: The place was brimming with people and luckily there was only 1 parking space left. 1) Ambiance 3.5/5: The place looks like an old shack and looks like a hole-in-the-wall place from the outside. The place maybe was going for an old wooden deck-like look. I was not a fan of the decor but the place was packed with both tourists and locals 2) Service 3.5/5: There was a 20-minute wait when we reached there. The service was good but slow and I have seafood allergy and the server wasn't able to help me with my questions. Some of the questions confused him about the options available and he had to frequently go back to the chef to clarify. I understand that this is a seafood restaurant but if there is a person with a seafood allergy, they might have a difficult time here especially if they are vegetarian. 3) We had a few things and here is the summary of our experience: a) Clam chowder: My in-laws liked it but my wife was not a fan. It is bland b) Lobster roll: The lobster roll was good but costly c) Shrimp cocktail: The shrimp cocktail tasted alright but the sauce with it was spicy. d) My inlaws ordered a Gin that had Lavendar and raspberry I believe but it was so bad that they left it untouched after a sip e) Baked Haddock: I had a haddock with green beans and mashed potatoes. This is the blandest fish dish I have ever had. I felt like it was just boiled and served 4) Value for Money 3/5: This place is not cheap which I understand for seafood places but we were in Maine where lobsters should be cheap and specially with the decor, aesthetic and taste, I felt the place was pricey. Overall, I probably would skip this unless you really want to eat seafood and don't have any other option The good: 1) The view 2) Come here for lobster rolls and clam chowder if you are a fan The bad: 1) Very costly for the taste and vibe 2) Overrated in my opinion 3) Limited options in case you are allergic to seafood and almost none if you are vegetarian or vegan

Everything was awesome food service location. Classic sea food ambience and atmosphere

Had lunch here today 2/14/25. Was driving by and saw a descent amount of cars in the parking lot and figured it would be a safe choice for lunch. Staff and view were great but cannot say the same for food. Had a bowl of seafood food ($22). It had at most 2 ounces of seafood and was 90% broth. Had a descent flavor. The two packs of oyster crackers gave it some substance. My wife had steamers. Good amount served but couldn't get thru them did to the overwhelming amount of saltiness (just destroyed the flavor). My glass of reisling ($12) was at most 5oz. Patrons next to us did enjoy their fried dishes. Guess that's the way to go? The view was the best part of this experience.

I can't say enough wonderful things about this place! Food was amazing! Staff super attentive and friendly l! Sat near the window and had the inlets for our view. We will be back

The food was ok, my family didn't like the clam chowdah, it's in their name? What gives! The location is great to go during day time and catch a glimpse of the wells river estuary. Our server was good too , nothing to come back to.

A Summer vacation was at York Beach this weekend needed a trip to Wells Beach to enjoy a dinner at Billy's Chowder House. The parking lot was full but a quick wait and a table was available for us to dine on some delicious fresh seafood. The talented and knowledgeable waiter, Liam made our dining experience pleasant . This will be a restaurant that will visited every time while visiting Wells Beach. A warm family friendly atmosphere!

Consistently Fabulous Food, Great Staff, Beautiful View! We've been driving up to Billy's Chowder House for years and the food, service and atmosphere is consistently wonderful! I see my last review was in 2015 and I can add that this lunch was as delish as all the meals before and we've tried almost all of the items on the menu. Our server Margaret was super efficient and friendly. How did she know I like cocktail sauce with my fried shrimp?! I didn't even have to ask her! She was attentive and didn't rush us at all. Hats off to the chef, that shrimp was perfectly fried in a light batter while keeping the shrimp soft and not overdone. And I liked the small touch of putting the spoonful of horseradish sauce on the side of the ketchup so you can add to your taste. We started with the onion rings, which we think are the best we've had anywhere. I didn't get to snap a pic of the pile as we ate them so fast! Between both our meals with fries, cole slaw, fried, scallops and clams we also love their string beans. Again cooked to the perfect degree with a light butter...everything is so tasty! It was an unexpected nice surprise to have a heater in the bathroom on a cold day! So many nice touches to make you comfortable and have a pleasant dining experience. I was happy to meet Chris Varano on the way out (who also greeted us) great job to you Chris and your team! We'll be back again soon!

Came to see 1/2 Marathon and was told this is the best on the island. Short walk from hotel and it stood the test. Too much to order, ambiance and smell of all the good food was too much. Topped off with the best waitress Brandi! She was so great! Made sure food was fast, made great suggestions. List of must haves: Lobster Roll amazing, Onion Rings, The oysters tasted just plucked! Strawberry Lemonade! OMG! Came back for seconds asking for Brandi's section. She is the BEST! Thank you Brandi for your great service​

Excellent food! Fresh fish, nice view, friendly attentive staff. Quick service. Nice environment, we went for lunch, sits right on the Marsh, breath taking view!

Great service- you always feel welcomed. Had the Tuesday Shrimp Cocktail Special- can't beat it

Restaurant is a little dirty and run down. The chowder was tasty but WAY too thin. The chicken sandwiches were good as well. There are just so many other great places to eat in this area. Would not come back...

Lobster stew and fried haddock was amazing. Dollar oysters on Wednesdays are a great deal but the presentation wasn't the best. For $1 a piece, not a problem. The clam chowder was a bit watery and not highly seasoned, I would 100% choose the lobster stew instead. Very friendly service. Cozy atmosphere and at this time of year seemed to be a lot of locals. Really nice time, can't wait to go back.

Well our 2nd visit and really looked forward to One Dollar Shucked Oyster Wednesdays. We were seated at 11:30 overlooking the marshlands. A huge disappointment on many levels and when you receive oysters with mostly broken shells a rookie would make that mistake. A table next to us had flawless perfect platter of at least 24, I had ordered 8. The disparaging presentation, lack of of customer service from our waitress another disappointment. When the dinner rolls, which I needed to ask for after receiving my Cobb Salad (Mediocre at best) and they were microwaved, yes microwaved too long , too rubbery to chew. 2 stars and I never go that low on my reviews but honest scoring. Our first evening same issue with their horrible dinner rolls. Not worth the $1 oysters and everything else.

Went last night. Waitress was wonderful. Very busy place. Ordered the large fied clam plate. Very disappointing. If you go and can find a belly on the clams,you're a better man than me. 1 star review only because waitress was so nice.

I had the lobster salad. The greens were only chopped iceberg lettuce. There were cherry tomatoes, cukes, and red onions in the mix, making it more appealing. I didn't care for the dressing at all. The lobster serving was massive, though, even more than I could finish, and simply dressed, not buttered. It's pretty much an indoor walk-up window, so ambience is very casual, but it was warm and relaxed on a windy day. Not right for a special date, but good if you want a generous lobster roll to without the roll.

Service was excellent. Ambiance was crowded. Stuffed mushrooms were severely breaded and over cooked. Fried clams were sweet, haddock dinner small. Generally overpriced and wouldn't go there again.

We came here for $1 oysters on Wednesday. We were able to sit down quickly and the service was really quick. The oysters were ok and my party also orders mussels and clam chowder. Both were a little plain but overall great experience.

Just as good as I remembered! I've been coming here since I was a kid, so like 25 years! I brought my children here this visit and they loved the food too! I got the clam chowder and seafood sampler, my husband got the seafood stew and fish & chips. Everything was perfect and the service was outstanding!

Was up in the Wells area for business. Got there late and hadn't eaten. Looked on the app and went to Billy's since they were open till 9 and it was 815. Got in and seated quickly. Waiter took my order quickly of clam chowder, fried calamari and a fish sandwich. Waiter was also taking care of a large table next to me and that was his focus was for most of the time I was there. Food was mid. Clam chowder had decent flavo, but very little clams. Tons of potatoes, cream and butter. Calamari was also decent. Good quantity but heavy on the frying oil when it came out. Fish sandwich was the best part of the meal and I enjoyed the fish (good amount) and flavorful. Fish was also fried well without the same amount of oil as the calamari. Waiter was still tied up and I saw another waiter bring her table a piece of blueberry pie. I waited as the waiter was explaining and signing up the family on their rewards program (must be a spiff if you sign people up for the waitstaff) since he was so focused on them and explaining every detail. When he came back around I asked for a piece of pie even if it needed to go. He explained that the kitchen was closed. It was 902. Don't really need to cook the pie, just cut a piece, place it in a container and put it a bag. nope adamant about the place closed. I usually tip 20+% but didn't like the attitude or the service. In summary, the place is old inside. The food was mid and the service was less than acceptable. Better places down in Ogunquit, see my other reviews, with better food, service and are atmosphere. Will not be back even if the food was free. Most reviews must be from regulars who have gone there for years and are loyal customers.

Great service. Cute town and views. Locals eat here. On the more pricey side. We had lobster stew and fried clams and stuffed clams. The stuff clams were delicious and the lobster stew was a light cream with butter and lots of lobster meat. It was a milky consistency not a thick consistency. The waitress let us know ahead of time. Delicious!

One of the best restaurants in the area. Food is wonderful and service superb. Haddock is great; Lobster even better. We've been coming here for years and Bill's gets better every time. Highly tecommended.

Hard to say!! ZERO PARKING!! Yes that's correct ZERO. Lot full and no parking on the main road. Had to go to the only other place in wells that was horrible. Oh well.

This place is a glorified robbery. The prices are jacked up just to pirate any naive tourists that stumble upon this place. I understand that this is a time where a lot of restaurants are still struggling with food inflation, but this is just laughable. When I came here on a busy Friday night, I ordered the Buffalo chicken tenders and a fried haddock sandwich. The buffalo chicken was laughably small and dry, and the sauce had no flavor whatsoever. Keep in mind that this costed me $16! I told my waitress that this amount of mediocre food for such a high price was inexcusable. But she merely shrugged, carelessly said "sorry" , and turned away. The Haddock sandwich was a little better, but still mediocre. The tomato and lettuce were bland and dry, and the haddock was tasteless and clearly undercooked in the center. The tartar sauce was also bland and flavorless. Avoid this place at all costs!

My friend and I took a ride just to get lobster rolls and this place didn't disappoint! It was a rainy day but even so, we were right on the water which is nice. The lobster stew and lobster roll was the best combo! Full chunks of lobster in the stew and a HUGE lobster roll! My friend and I dipped our lobster roll in the stew and it was amazing! Great service too! Will definitely be back!

I love Billy's chowder house because every time I go wells beach I go there it's a little pricey but when it's bucks shuck it's a eating frenzy I would highly recommend going to eat here in the summer when it's hot l. But I'ver all I love this place!

Usually, this place is really good. Today, it took over an hour for food to come out, and it was all cold and undercooked. Never had this experience here before - even when the wait time was 2/3 times longer than it was today. They took some of the meal off, but were rude about the fact that we ate most of it (because after waiting over an hour for our food, we were starving, and did not want to wait for it to be "reheated ") (who reheats seafood ???) Really disappointed in a place that usually provides top-notch food and service. Both were lacking today. Very disappointing that the manager would not come out to speak with us at all given the experience.

Great food, ambiance and service. I had the highly recommended fried clam strips. They were super tender. The fires were flavorful and the fresh green beans were delicious. Hubby had the baked haddock with baked potato. He said it was very good but 1/2 of it was a little over baked and tough. We sat near the fireplace which was perfect for such a cool night

Always great service & delicious food. Stop here every time we go to Maine Great chowder, nice atmosphere & never rushed.

We, a party of four, enjoyed some yummy food, 18 oysters, a big plate of mussels, clam chowder, Haddock Ruben, etc, and drinks. That said, about 8 of the oysters were the size of a nickel, which was disappointing. One of our party wanted to order chicken tenders with onion rings versus fries. Happy to pay more to substitute. The waitress shut that down flat, zero substitutions no matter what. Our party member had surgery, limiting the amount they can eat, so very particular regarding a food order. Given the waitress attitude, which was extremely abrupt, they ended up ordering nothing. We also couldn't get our waters refilled. I don't know if this is a standard Billy's Chowder House experience, but disappointing to us. Despite the service, we tipped the 20%, we chose to be gracious.

It was very busy and chilly in the restaurant. The restaurant overlooks a beautiful view of a river and marshland. I ordered a lobster. It had a soft shell and tasted delicious. My biggest grievance was how long it took to bring out the food, fifty minutes! My water was only refilled once. But still a great lobster.

Oh Boy, Here we go. The Good: Waitress was excellent during very busy supper time. Seafood Stew was creamy and tasty with lot's of seafood. Cole Slaw was tasty and French Fries were good. The Bad: Clam Chowder was watery and more like potato soup. The Very Bad: Lobster was over-cooked and tough. Rolls were tough and tasted like they were day old and microwaved. The skinny is the rolls weren't day old, but are never any good. It made me long to return to Red Lobster. Seriously? I would not even think about returning.

Food was very good. Many choices. Prices are a bit high. Lobster Roll is $40.00 Terrible service! When I questioned her as to why people that came in after us were being served and she walked by us several times she responded because I have other things to do. WOW unbelievable!

The food was so fresh and good that after having dinner we went back the next day for lunch. Brandy was our server and she was amazing. We were in town for a local race. The food and drinks were excellent and Brandy recommended the drinks flavor and we were not disappointed. I would definitely recommend Billy's lobster roll.

The atmosphere was a festive family atmosphere overlooking the marshland. My wife and I ordered the 1 1/4 lb lobster dinner and was not disappointed. The lobster was tender and sweet, sides of a baked potato and green beans. My wife also had a bowl of the clam chowder which was perfectly prepared. Our waitress was enthusiastic and courteous. Worth the visit!!!

Our go to restaurant when in Maine Service fantastic All our food and drinks were delicious Reasonable prices! Great specials and happy hour

Ate at Billy's on 10/24/24 , My wife had baked stuffed Haddock and I had the seafood sampler. My wife was very happy with hers but mine was a bit disappointing. The portion was a little small for the price but the biggest issue was it was overcooked and dried out. the taste was good but the crunch was a bit much. That being said, the clam chowder was still the best I've ever had.

One travels to Maine for the Lobster, we've done it a few times. Having lived along the Oregon Coast for decades, we have a unique perspective on what makes a good seafood restaurant from a really great one. Billy' s is OK. The service is good, along with the typical "touristy" atmosphere, not the food however. We ordered the Maine Lobster along with the clam chowder. The chowder was bland at best, more a watery Potato soup and not seasoned at all. The Lobster looked great, but was woefully over cooked, leaving it more rubbery than tasty. Our recommendation, okay if you want the tourist version, but not worth the money.

We went to Billy's last Thursday night for drinks. The atmosphere at the bar was great. Live music. Nice people who were very welcoming. Fun bartenders that make tasty drinks. With a solid beer collection. We had enjoyable conversations with a few guests. And definitely will be back. The food looked delicious and we definitely will eat when there next time. And the views out window from bar were beautiful too!

You bet. Recommended by the folks at Holiday Inn Express this place was exactly what we needed. Food was great. Service very friendly and prompt.

Last Day of our Maritimes tour. Had to finish with seafood. We shared the bacon wrapped scallops. Good but not up to canadian standards. Bacon was not cooked enough. Had the fried haddock which was great. The fries were good but still not up to canadian standards. Service by Margaret was very good. Venue is great but get a table on the water side.

Food was terrific!! My wife and I both stated the meal was very good and service . She had a lobster dinner and I had fried Oysters. Both were cooked and served in a nice professional manner. We live in Florida and this was some of the best seafood that we have ever had.

Some of the food was good. Some was mid. The chowder was thoroughly unimpressive, which was ironic considering that it's a chowder house. Sat at the bar for about twenty minutes and waited the whole time trying to just buy one beer. Granted, the bar staff was busy, but they were also spending half of their time doing lemonade prep and deliberately ignored even looking my way to take a beer order that would have taken 5 seconds to fill. Your bar is disorganized and understaffed at critical times. They need to do their prep before the rush. Also why do you water down the salad dressings? That's so cheap and chisly

Excellent! Had the Lobster dinner deal. Steamed lobster, chowder, steamers and vegetable. Sooo good! Price was great too.

It could be 4 stars, but I just can't. The Clam Chowder had great flavor and plenty of soft chewy clams. But the chowder itself was thin and watery. The potatoes were a bit harder than I prefer, and my thought is that if the potatoes were cooked in the chowder a bit longer until they are nice and soft, the starch would thicken the whole thing up a bit. The Lobster Mac & Cheese again tasted great. Plenty of lobster, great flavor. But the whole thing was cooked too long, to where the cheese was broken and made the whole dish oily. Maybe the fact that I was there at lunch makes a difference. Maybe I didn't get the star team in the kitchen. But I can only base my review upon the experience I was presented.

Delicious low key place. The chowder soup was delicious I had a whole 2 lb lobster. Terrific!!!

Was there last night. The service was fine. The place was noisy as expected. The lobster was fine and properly cooked and 1/2 the price compared to bar harbor. The slaw was excellent. The baked haddock sandwich was excellent. Would definitely return if in Wells.

Worst experience of our entire vacation. Our waitress was rude and the drinks were horrendous, I made better margaritas in dirty cooler on college gameday. Food was just okay. Left wishing we hadn't stopped and surely wouldn't recommend.